Fluid pressure indexing valve



Aug. 2, 1938. w. H. MARTIN 2,125,513 v FLUID PRESSURE INDEXING VALVEFiled Aug. 20, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 5 I (025mm fl Via/cam Aug. 2 938-w. H. MARTIN I 2,125,513

FLUID PRESSURE INDEXING VALVE Filed Aug. 20, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Patented Aug. 2, 1938 I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,125,513 FLUIDPitESSUBE INDEXING VALVE William H. Martin, Detroit, Mich.

Application August 20, 1936, Serial No. 97,007

12 Claims. (Cl. 6054.5)

My invention has for its object to provide an automatic indexing valvefor causing by fluid pressures sequential or periodic operations ofele-- ments or devices or parts of apparatuses or machines controlled bythe elements.

Thus, by my invention, a plurality of welders for welding parts togethermay be suitably mounted and sequentially operated. Similarly theinvention may be used to produce sequential stamping of a large numberof parts or sequential riveting of a plurality of parts or thesequential or timed operations of a machine or the simultaneousoperations of groups oI-controlled devices.

The invention'may be contained in structures of different forms and usedfor a great variety of purposes. To illustrate a practical applicationof the invention, I have selected an indexing means of a pipe ID with apassageway l9 extendvalve as an example of the various structures thatcontain the invention and shall describe the structure selectedhereinafter. The indexing valve is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings.

Fig. 1 illustrates a top view of the indexing valve and indicatesdiagrammatically its connection in an apparatus having parts that aresequentially operated by a fluid pressure means. Fig. 2 is a side viewof the valve shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view of a section of the valvetaken Fig. 4 is a view of a vertical section of the valve.

The valve l is automatically operated by a fluid pressure means 2 toconnect the pressure means to the pressure devices '3 and produceoperations of one or more of the pressure devices upon rise in pressureof the pressure means. Preferably, oil is used as the pressure medium.It fills the interconnecting passageways that] d from the pulsatingpressure means 2 to the va ve l and from the valve to the pressuredevices 2. The pressures produce periodic flow of small quantities ofthe oil from the pressure means 2 to the valve l and from the valve l'toone or more of the pressure devices 3. Upon reduction 45 of the pressureof the pressure means 2, oil is returned to the valve and the pressuremeans byeating with the chamber H.

on the plane of the line 3--3 indicated in Fig. 2.

The moving parts of the valve 1 are enclosed in a shell 6. The walls ofthe shell have openings and passageways that communicate with thepressure means 2 and the pressure devices 3.

A rotatable disc I having a diameter substantially the same as thediameter of the interior surface of the side wall of the shell 6 islocated upon a raised bearing surface 9 formed on the bottom of theshell. The underside of the disc 1 is provided with a circular recess llforming a peripherally disposed flange part or rim l2having a bearingsurface II that is located on the bearing surface 9. The contactingsurfaces of the disc and the bottom are preferably ground to producesubstantially an oil seal between the chambers i6 and I1 formed by thedisc within the shell.

Each of the pressure devices is connected by ing through the wall of theshell l and communi- The openings I! are located in the raised bearingsurface I and within the inner perimeter of the annular rim l2. Thepressure means 2 is connected to the chamber ii of the valve by means ofthe pipe 2| through which its actuating pressure is transmitted to thevalve. The chamber I1 is connected with the pressure means 2 by means ofa pipe 22 to return the oil to the pressure means. The pipes 21 and 22are preferably centrally connected to the top and bottom walls of thevalve. The disc I is provided with an opening 23 located in a bossextending inwardly from the annular rim l2 and so as to be located inregistering relation with the passageways it in succession upon rotatlvemovement of the disc. Thus, when the opening 23 registers with any oneof the openings IS, the rise in pressure of the pressure means 2 istransmitted through the oil-located in the pipe 2|, the chamber It, theopening is, and the pipe It to the particular pressure device 3 withwhich the connection is established and causes the pressure device 3 toperform its particular function by the pressure that is transmitted toit. Thus, the pressure devices may be sequentially operated, or may beoperated in any desired order or in groups according to the controlelement or a step by step mechanism that may be used in rotating thedisc and according to the connections between the pressure devices andthe indexing valve.

In the form of construction shown, the disc I is moved step by step toproduce registration of the opening 23 with the passageways IS insuccession and corresponding sequential operations of the pressuredevices 3. A piston 28 is slidably supported in a cylinder 21 located inthe valve. Thecylinder 21 may be provided with a flanged head 28 thatfits within a boss 28 tan-- gentially protruding from the cylindricalside wall of the shell 6 to locate the aris'of the piston parallel andin proximity to a line tangential to the disc I. The cylinder-21 issecured tothe shell 6 by means or the screws ii that extend through theflange part of the head 28 and into the boss 29. The exterior diameterof the cylinder 21 is considerably less than the interior diameter ofthe boss 2! which forms a recess in which is located a spring 32. Zhespring 22 is located intermediate the head is of the cylinder I'land apair of adjustable locknuts 33 located on'one end of an enlarged part llof the piston 26. operates to resiliently return the piston 26' when itis forced outwardly by the hydraulic pressure produced in the chamber itof the valve l by the pressure means 2. The piston is guided in itsmovements not only by the cylinder 21, but

also by an inwardly projecting boss" through which the piston extends. I

Lock nuts I: are threaded on to an end portion ll of the piston and onthe side of the boss 36 opposite to thet'on which the lock nuts-ll arelocated. Thus, the lock nuts 33 and 39 may be adjustably located withreference to the boss ii to adjust the extent oi the stroke that may bemade by the piston, both as to its outward movement relativeto the disc1 and the shell produced by the hydraulic pressure and also as to itsinward return movement produced by the pressure of the spring 32.

The enlarged part E1 of the piston 26 is provided with a recess 44 inwhich is located a dog 46 that is spring pressed by means of the spring41 located intermediate the bottom of the recess H and the nose of thedog (8. The dog It is pivotally supported by the pin 48 and is pressedtowards the periphery ofthe disc I. It

extends through a slot 48 icrmed in the boss 38 and prevents rotation ofthe piston about its axis. I

The disc 1 is provided with a plurality of ratchet teeth II spaced aboutthe axes of thedisc the same angular distance that the openings'l9 arespaced from each other. The stroke of the piston 26 is adjusted by thelock nuts 33 and I! to produce engagement of a tooth II by the dog 46upon each succeeding return movement of the piston. Preferably theangular movement of the disc I produced by the piston is such as tocause registration of the opening 23 with the openings l9 sequentialh toproduce sequential operation of the pressure devices 3.

'ing its operation.

the reservoir Ill through an opening it when uncovered by the piston 5.The piston I may be operated by any suitable motor or other actue atingmeans 53. Each pulsation will cause operation of the pressure device 2having a piston l5 and a cylinder 20 to which connection is cs tablishedthrough the openings 23 and I8 and The spring 32 is a compression springand I pressure means.

also an outward movement of the piston 26. Upon reduction of thepressln'e, the piston 25 which has been outwardly pressed during thepressure period is moved inward by the pressure of the spring 32. Thedog having engaged a sequentially disposed tooth I moves the disc I ashort distance upon its return movement. The disc I first operates toestablish return connection for the oil, from the pressure device 3 tothe chamber i1 and through the pipe 22 to the pres- .sure means 2. Thisreleases the pressure in the pressure device. The piston of the pressuredevice is pressed outward by the spring 54 and 'when the oil pressure isreduced, the spring 54 of the pressure device 3 causes the return of thepiston of the pressure device and discharge of the oil from its cylinderwhich causes a return movement of the oil along the pipes l8 and 22.Upon the completion of the return stroke of the pisten 28, the opening23 is brought into registration with another of the openings i9 whichestablishes connection between the pressure means- 2 and another of thepressure devices 3.

- Upon production of succeeding changes in pressure, the pressuredevices are sequentially connected and operated to produce riveting orwelding or timed eperations of a machine or apparatus or otheri'unctions for which they may be designed or peculiarly constructed. 1

1. In 'a fluid pressure indexing valve having two chambers, a pluralityof pressure devices connected to one chamber, a pulsating pressure meansconnected to the other chamber, a movable member having a passageway forselectively closing the connection of each pressure device with the saidone chamber and connecting it with the said other chamber to produceoperation of the pressure devices at least one at a time by thepulsating pressure of the pressure means.

2. A fluid pressure indexing valve having a pair of chambers, aplurality of pressure devices connected to one of the chambers, apressure means connected to the other of the said chambers for producingpressure in the said other chamber and to the said one chamber forwithdrawing fluid fro-m the said one chamber,. a movable member forconnecting the pressure devices with the said other chamber foroperating the pressure devices and subsequently restoring theconnections of the pressure devices with the said one chamber forreturning the. fluid to the said pressure means.

3. A fluid pressure indexing valve having a pair or chambers, aplurality of pressure devices connected to one of the chambers, apressure means cennected to the other of the said chambers ior producingpressure in the said other chamber and to the said. one chamber forwithdrawing oil from the said one chainber, a movable member forconnecting the pressure devices with the said other chamber foroperating the pressure devices, means operated by the pressure means foractuating the movable members and subsequently restoring the connectionsof the pressure devices with the said one chamber for returning thefluid to the said to one of the said chambers and a pulsating pressuremeans connected to the other of the said chambers for producingpulsating pressures in the said other chamber, the movable member havinga passageway for connecting the connections of indexing valve, a mov--the pressure devices with the said other chamber 75' in succession forsequentially operating the pressure devices by the pulsating pressuresproduced by the pressure means.

mm a fluid pressure indexing valve, the valve having a movable memberforming two chambers, a plurality oi pressure devices connected to onechamber, a pressure means connected to the other chamber, means foroperating the pressure means toproduce a pulsating pressure, a resilientmeans operated by the pressure means for moving the member during lowpressure periods to connect the said connections of the pressure deviceswith the said other chamber in succession and produce operation of thepressure devices by the pulsating pressures sequentially during highpressure periods of the pulsating means.

6. In a fluid pressure indexing valve, a movable member forming twochambers within the valve, a plurality of pressure devices connected toone of the said chambers and a pulsating pressure means connected to theother of the said chambers for producing pulsating pressures in the saidother chamber, the movable valve member having a passageway forconnecting the pressure devices with the said other chamber insuccession for pressure means during the high pressure periods followingeach low pressure period.

8. In afluid pressure apparatus, a plurality of pressure devices, afluid pressure means for producing pressure pulsations in the fluid, andmeans operative during low pressure periods for connecting the pressuredevices to the pressure means to sequentially operate the pressuredevices during succeeding high pressure periods and to connect theprecedingly operated pressure de-- vices with the pressure means for thereturn of the fluid from the pressure devices to the pressure means.

9. A fluid pressure indexing valve having a pair of chambers, aplurality of pressure devices connected to and having means forreturning fluid to one of the chambers, a pressure means connected tothe other oi. the said chambers for .producing pressure in the saidother chamber and to the said one chamber for receiving fluid from thesaid one chamber, and a movable member operated by the pressure meansfor connecting the pressure devices with the said other chamher tooperate the pressure devices and to subsequently and sequentiallyconnectthe precedingly operated pressure device with the said onechamber for returning the fluid to the pressure means.

10. In a fluid pressure apparatus, a plurality of pressure devices, afluid pressure means for producing alternately high and low fluidpressures, and means operated by the pressure means for connecting thepressure devices with the pressure means during the low pressure periodsto sequentially operate the pressure devices during' the succeeding highpressure periods and to connect the pressure devices with the pressuremeans during the low pressure periods to return the fluid from thepressure devices in the low pressure periods to the pressure means.

11. In a fluid pressure apparatus, a plurality of pressure devices, acylinder and piston, a reservoir for liquid communicating with one end0! the cylinder, means for reciprocating the piston, the cylinder havinga passageway opened by the piston upon the completion of its non-workingstroke and closed upon the initiation 01 its working stroke, an indexingvalve having two chambers, the reservoir and a. plurality of pressuredevices connected to one chamber and the cylinder connected to the otherchamber, and a movable member having a passageway for disconnecting thepressure device with said one chamber in succession and connecting themwith the said other chamber to produce operation oi. the pressuredevices in succession during the high pressure periodsproduced by thepiston and for connecting the precedingly operated pressure device withthe said one chamber to return the fluid to the reservoir through thesaid one chamber during the period-iollowing the operation oi thepressure device by the pressure produced by the piston.

12. In a fluid pressure apparatus, a plurality of pressure operateddevices, a fluid pressure producing means for producing changes in fluidpressure, a fluid pressure operated means operated by the fluid pressureproduced by the pressure producing means during high pressure periods,and means coacting with the pressure operated means for connecting thepressure operated devices in succession with the pressure producingmeans during the low pressure periods to sequentially operate thepressure operated devices by the pressure producing means during thehigh pressure periods following each low pressure period.

' WILLIAM H. MAR'ITN.

